Some Seniors are having a very difficult time these days. That's absolutely true. It seems that too many are falling into a deep dark hole. If you're one of those, don't despair. There's hope at the end of the tunnel – even if it seems a long way off. Here are some thoughts that might set your direction:
1. Do you believe everything you read? Media has a way of warping our perceptions. We've allowed ourselves to be lulled into believing that what we see and what we're told is gospel. Poppycock! Yes, we're experiencing a recession – have been for some time. But recessions can be a good thing. Look at it this way (the way the wealthy are)….it's a Buyer's Market! If you have any resources at all, focus them on the buying end of the equation, find the buyers and see how different the world looks. When everyone is selling, buy. And when they're buying, sell.
2. Do you allow yourself to be boxed into a classification? Call it whatever you will "senior", "mature", "retirement age". It doesn't matter. Statisticians love to put people in boxes. Doing this makes it easy for them – easy to run statistics, Marketers do it because they think it makes sales easier – after all, they can predict how a class might react, but it takes a lot of work to figure out how an individual will react. This is all nonsense. You are unique. Your needs are unique. And the skills and wisdom you bring to the table are unique.
3. Do you believe there are no jobs out there? Those of us who are out of work have hit a serious snag in the road. That much is true. There is no security out there for anyone – no matter what the age. Americans are running scared…too many years of red alerts, threats of terrorism, layoffs and such have taken their tole. Is it easy to get work? Not by a long shot! It's every man for himself out there. Not many – even those who say they care – will lend a hand to lift you up. Those who have an "in" will get the work long before those who need – employment has nothing to do with need to work.
So, what's the answer? Think for yourself. Take another look at what's really going on. Look for the hidden agendas. Each one of us will see something very different because we're looking at the whole from very different perspectives. But, once we start reading between the lines and start looking for that bigger picture, we'll have a much better chance of getting ourselves – and our Country – out of this quagmire.
For starters:
1. Drop the name tag. Don't allow yourself to be classified. You're not a statistic. You're a person!
2. Look for the money. This is the story behind the story we're given in the media. Massive fortunes are being accumulated right now – as a result of the stories we're asked to believe. Once we understand that, we can move forward.
3. Stop asking for work or training or whatever. The more years of experience and the more education (no I'm not saying schooling) you have, the better equipped you are to navigate through this mess. You have a LOT to offer. If you talk with an employer, get shuttled aside and you believe it's because of your age – and that does happen – chalk it up! It's their loss, not yours.
4. When you've managed to re-think the situation, start looking for the holes in the market. There's more work to be done today than we can ever hope to get done – even if every man, woman and child were gainfully employed 60-80 hours a week.
One word of caution: don't settle for second best. You'll soon learn that it's easy to fall into this trap. You know it. The messages are vocalized many different ways: "You are too old… "Your skills aren't up to par…" "You can't…" "We found someone better…." "You'll have to prove yourself…" They all say. "You're not good enough…" Muster up all the compassion you can for those who try to tell you this. Remember work isn't a popularity contest or a beauty pageant. These are signs that they're still looking for quick fixes and false promises. Their loss, not yours. Remember the holes that need to be filled and ….
Just keep on truckin'!